Over four centuries ago, William Shakespeare said it well, “If you seek a virtue and have it not, assume it.” In more recent vernacular, the phrase “Fake it until you make it” would apply. Before you can act your way into being something that you’re not, you need to first believe that it’s possible.
Using affirmations is a great way to bridge that gap. Affirmations can be a simple and powerful way to keep you focused and build your subconscious belief in yourself. Affirmations are positive statements that describe the person you wish to become.
Ok, some of you (over 40) are rolling your eyes and thinking of the infamous Saturday Night skit when Al Franken (long before he became a Minnesota senator) in his Stuart Smalley persona would share, “I am good enough, I am smart enough, and, doggone it, people like me.”
I know the mere thought of affirmations may sound corny, cheesy and lame to some of you. But I would bet that if you have an automatic, “That’s stupid” reaction, you have never truly given affirmations a chance. So, if that’s you, I respectfully request that you keep an open mind and check out the 30 Day Challenge below.
The fact is that what you say to your “self” and, more importantly, what you believe about your “self” can greatly influence what you do and how you feel. Your self-talk can be very positive or very negative or somewhere in-between. Affirmations are positive self-talk.
To be effective, affirmations should possess the following characteristics:
* Should be positive.
* Should be statements in the first person singular (“I”).
* Should be expressed in the present tense.
* Should be realistic and within your capacity to believe.
* Should be directly related to your goals.
The use of affirmations can be a great tool for achieving your goals. Affirmations reinforce your self-confidence and inspire you to achieve more.
I’ll even share an affirmation that I’ve had for the past 20 years that I know has changed my life for the better:
“I take 100% responsibility for everything in my life.”
By using this as an affirmation, I give myself a constant and ongoing reminder that it’s up to me to create the life I want. There is no room for blame or excuses…no pointing the finger. It reminds me to take charge, to be creative and to love a life that is congruent with my vision and beliefs.
So what about you? Have you experienced the power of positive self-talk first hand? Chances are there are times when you have been the victim of your negative self-talk. Am I right? What would happen if you flipped that? Are you willing to give affirmations a go?
The 30 Day Affirmation Challenge
To make affirmations work for you, try this challenge. Write three affirmations on an index card. Repeat the process, writing the same three affirmations on two more index cards. Now place the three index cards strategically. Place one where you will see it first thing in the morning. Place another one where you will see it during the middle of the day. Place the final index card where you will see it at the end of your day. Take the time, to pick up and read each index card every day. By the end of each day, you will have read your affirmations at least three times. Keep this up for 30 days and you’ll start to realize the power of affirmations.
